Robert Davis Watkins

Robert Davis (Bob) Watkins was born December 16, 1933 in Long Beach, CA to James Leander Watkins and Martha Lucile Gordon Watkins. Bob’s parents were overjoyed at the arrival of a healthy baby boy. Three years earlier they had tragically lost their first-born son, Donald James Watkins, due to complications at his birth. Bob’s parents were (understandably) especially dedicated to his safety and well-being. Bob made it his life’s work to take good care of himself and those whom he loved, starting with his Mom and Dad. He was a dedicated son throughout his life and looked after his parents’ needs in their later years.

His world view was, very decidedly, also formed by World War II. Bob was just days shy of his 8th birthday, when the US received word of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. After that, living on the west coast, there was a real fear that an attack could land on our shores. At the same time, Bob’s own father, Jim, reenlisted as a rifle instructor. This young boy would see his father come home on the weekends and go off to the base through the week for most of the duration of the war. Bob became a student of World War II, reading every book he could find on the subject (non-fiction only, please). Even in the last weeks of his life, you could ask him about a particular battle or strategy, and he would give you a thoroughgoing answer which was based on solid facts which fed his fascination with this era of history.

Bob graduated from Compton High School in 1951 and began attending Compton Community College. He imagined that his first girlfriend, Mary Jean, would be the love of his life, but in their first year of college she contracted meningitis and passed away within a few days. After that, it would take someone extraordinary to mend his broken heart. He met that person on October 15, 1954, in the fall of his senior year at UC Berkeley. After his college graduation, on August 7, 1955, Bob Watkins and Marlene Sandra Worthen were joined in marriage at Portalhurst Presbyterian Church, and their love story would last a lifetime. Their honeymoon took them to Disneyland, which had opened only weeks before, and to the beaches of Southern California.

Upon the return from their honeymoon, Bob reported aboard an Aircraft Carrier in the Pacific as a Junior Officer for two years, and then they spent the next three years stationed at the U.S. Naval Station in Rota, Spain where their two daughters Sharon and Susan (Sue) were born. In 1960 they returned to the US and made their home in Orange County, California, first in Huntington Beach when their son Bruce was born, and then to their longtime home of Placentia when their son James (Jim) was born.

Shortly after returning to California, Bob was hired by Autonetics, an aerospace company. He worked out of their Downey office for the first few years, and then moved to the Anaheim office where he worked for the same company, and its successors North American Rockwell and Rockwell International until his retirement after 33 years. He was proud of his work and saw it as a way to safeguard our country. Throughout his career, he did much more than work hard. He was able to bring out the best in others.

That was true at home as well. The move to the Anaheim office brought this growing family to Placentia, which the Watkins children will always consider to be their hometown. The house was a hub of activity with four children. Marlene was unbelievably resourceful as a homemaker. Life was always more fun when she was around. She had all the opportunities in the world to make things fun because Bob was always there, steady as a rock, providing for the family, keeping everyone safe and well. Theirs was a beautiful partnership.

Bob had always been interested in trains, and he created a large HO model train set in the garage of their home. He also was a woodworker, making various pieces of furniture from bunk beds to cabinets for VHS tapes to a custom cupboard to hold Marlene’s extensive rubber stamp collection. Those who needed to borrow, say, a screwdriver, knew very well to put it away promptly and in its proper place!

He was a music lover, especially opera. His favorite was Carmen. The one thing he treated himself to at the time of his retirement was a stereo system to play his many albums of classic operas. He had played the clarinet as a student in school, and later in life took up playing the banjo for a few years. If you ever stood next to him as a child in church, you could hear him sing out clear and loud, and always on key.

Bob took great joy in accompanying his daughters to the Camp Fire Girls father-daughter banquets, and in helping his sons design and craft their Pinewood Derby cars as one of many treasured memories of their activities in Indian Guides. It’s no wonder the Watkins children gravitated toward these groups. Family camping trips are a particularly fond memory. With a large canvas tent dubbed, “The Moose,” Bob and Marlene took their family to several destinations in California, and on one trip to the Grand Canyon. Hot weather, rain, mosquitos, and banana slugs did not dissuade these inveterate campers. It was all worth it when the day ended with s’mores.

Sharon, Sue, Bruce and Jim learned about love and marriage by seeing how Bob and Marlene loved each other. The way Bob and Marlene loved their children helped them to grow up to be loving parents to the all-important grandchildren; Robert (Bobby) Watkins, Erin Watkins, Cameron Watkins, Alan James (AJ) Fagan, Emily Watkins Wilson (Kyle Wilson) and Kate Watkins.

Erin and Kate cherished the times that their grandma and grandpa took Amtrak to Ohio for wonderful visits throughout their childhood. Cameron and Emily have many fond childhood memories of having spent time at their grandparents’ home in Placentia. Grandpa and grandma always kept juice boxes stocked, and they maintained a fine collection of toys, books, puzzles, and movies, which they delighted in together.

Later in life, as a fellow Cal graduate, Cameron enjoyed exchanging stories with his grandpa about UC Berkeley and Bay Area. In her recent wedding vows, Emily referenced the example demonstrated by her grandparents when she noted, “I am blessed to know what long-lasting love looks like.” AJ has very fond memories of the long road trip to Washington with his grandparents in 2006. Bobby reflected “He’s always been a comforting person to be around and always had everyone’s best interests in mind. He was an absolute role model from all angles.”

As Marlene began to need more care, she and Bob moved to Sunrise at Yorba Linda, which would become the final home for each of them. We had no idea that the world would be facing a global pandemic within a year, nor that Marlene would succumb to COVID 19 in January of 2021. Bob could no longer add another year to the 65 years of their married life, but their love story lived on in his memories He had taken vows and kept them till at death they parted. Although he missed her terribly, it was clear that Bob took comfort that he had seen her through.

Finally, Bob was diagnosed with leukemia, and it took his life on June 25, 2023. He was at peace, even at the news that his life expectancy had been shortened. The faith that had been an important part of Bob’s life since he was young was revitalized later in life as he joined Placentia Presbyterian Church. This was a particularly sweet season with church friends and opportunities for leadership in the church. One project especially close to his heart was the group of handymen who volunteered to repair H.I.S. House (homeless intervention shelter) and other structures. Bob had hope that God had a future of blessing and peace awaiting him. He also looked forward to a reunion with his beloved wife Marlene. We imagine them together again and are grateful for memories of a life well lived and filled with love.